My 3rd Grade Kiddos

Less than a week ago I finished my student teaching. Friday was definitely a tough day saying bye to the kiddos that I had formed such close bonds with. Since then, I have done a lot of thinking about those kids and how much they mean to me.

I got a book from the kids with letters they had all written. They were such sweet and thoughtful letters. I was almost shocked at the level of compassion some of them were able to express in their writing. The teacher in me was definitely proud :) As I read through the letters at my kitchen table, trying to hold back more tears, I had to stop at one letter in particular. It was from one of my favorite's that I had really taken under my belt from the start of the semester. His family life was pretty rough as his parents were going through a pretty nasty divorce. I had witnessed the awkward relationship between the parents at conferences. Many times, my little friend would come into class late because of something going on at home with mom or dad. There was even one time where the mom dropped this little guy off and then came up to me almost in tears apologizing he was late "because his mom is such a scatterbrain."

Obviously things weren't great for this kid, but he is such a ball of personality. I have imagined this kid in high school as the lead in a school play. He is just so full of energy and so personable that a led role would suit him well :) Some days were better than others and you could tell that many times his mind was pre-occupied with something else. I tried my best to keep him focused on school and what he had to do here and now. I made sure that he knew that while he was at school he should focus on that and not let the troubles of home consume his thoughts and bring him down.

Well, as I read this little guy's letter I just had to break down. He letter read as follows: "We will miss you a lot. You gave us so many adventures like being disguised as Patricia MacLachlan." Very sweet start to the letter and very similar to what some of the other students had written. But it was his last sentence that really tugged at my heart strings..."You have helped me through hard times." I still get choked up reading it and thinking about this little guy. As teachers, we are suppose to teach kids the curriculum. That's our "job," but to know that I may have helped this kid cope just a little bit better with the struggles he was facing is definitely a rewarding and somewhat mind-blowing feeling.

It has been really tough getting these kids off my mind this past week, especially those that I know are going through personal struggles at home. I know that they will all be just fine, but it's hard knowing that I can't be there everyday like I was before. They taught me a lot not only about teaching but about myself as well. I am so grateful for the time that I had with such an amazing group of kids. I am so excited to see what the future holds for all of them! :)